Verses 1-16

Here we reach the first collection of what were supposed to be Solomon's proverbs. Most of them consist of two lines parallel to each other. The parallelism is one of contrast, or agreement, or explanation, or of different persons and objects. It is impossible to trace any principle underlying the order in which the proverbs stand. Several of them are more or less exactly repeated in Proverbs 25-29.

Verses 1-32

The main subject, not treated continuously, but recurred to again and again, is the blessing which attends goodness and diligence, the penalty which follows sin and sloth.

2. Treasures of wickedness] acquired by wrong-doing (Amos 3:10). In many synagogues this v. is inscribed over the alms-box. To the later Jews 'righteousness' meant almsgiving (Daniel 4:27; Tobit 4:1; Tobit 12:9; Matthew 6:1).

4. To deal with a slack hand is to be lacking in energy.

5. 'Make hay while the sun shines.'

7. 'Only the ashes of the just

Smell sweet and blossom from the dust.'

10. Winketh with the eye] i.e. to stir up by malicious hints. In the LXX the second half of the v. runs: 'but he that openly rebuketh maketh peace.'

12. Love hides them from sight.

14. Near destruction] destruction nigh at hand.

16. The wealth earned by a good man will be rightly employed and therefore will bring him lasting gain, but revenue spent in self-indulgence and sin brings nothing but loss in the end.

19. Simeon, son of Gamaliel, said: 'All my days I have grown up among the wise, and I have found nought of better service than silence... Whoso is profuse of words causes sin.'

21. Feed] instruct.

24. The fear of the wicked] that which he fears.

25. The storm carries him completely away (Psalms 1:4).